Create an entrance to Golden Gate Park at 14th Avenue!

As all of us in the western half of the Inner Sunset know, there is a long fence on the southern end of the Botanical Garden that prevents us from entering Golden Gate Park. It is the longest inaccessible stretch of the park, forcing us to walk to either 9th or 19th Avenues to enter. In day-to-day life this extra travel distance, combined with the busy and even dangerous nature of the 9th and 19th intersections, means that we don't visit the park as often as we wish.

There is a solution! The Botanical Garden has a gate at 14th Avenue that is used for volunteers. We could convert this gate into an entrance for the public. The gate leads to a gorgeous, lush path down to the Redwood Grove and other beautiful and infrequently visited sections of the garden.

If you're primarily interested in access to the rest of the park, remember that there is a gate on the northern end of the garden that leads to Stow Lake, Japanese Tea Garden, De Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, etc. So a 14th Avenue entrance would improve access not only to the Botanical Garden but to the entire park, making trips to popular destinations quicker and far more enjoyable.

We've discussed this solution with stakeholders, including the director of Golden Gate Park and the director of the Botanical Garden, and experts in public works. The Botanical Garden's need for an entrance kiosk is a barrier, but it is not insurmountable (an electronic gate for city residents is a possible solution). We would need to improve the 15th Avenue crosswalk and pave and widen the walkways adjacent to the park between Funston and 15th Avenue.

All parties recognize that this proposal is sensible...and now we have a potential source of funding! Neighborhood leaders are working on making the Inner Sunset the city's second "green district", which would bring us hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to apply to projects such as this one.

Ultimately we need to demonstrate neighborhood support to make this happen. If you want a new entrance to Golden Gate Park at 14th Avenue, sign this petition. Thank you!

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